_________________“We will expect success in all endeavors and be prepared to assess and hold ourselves accountable when we aren't successful. Tulane is a top 40 academic institution and it should expect nothing less from its athletic department.”--Troy Dannen 11.5.16

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

Roller, that is brilliant.

I agree. I guess I live in a bubble and would never guess folks would stiff a hard working craftsman after he has worked his tail off fixing your crap.

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

Roller, that is brilliant.

I agree. I guess I live in a bubble and would never guess folks would stiff a hard working craftsman after he has worked his tail off fixing your crap.

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

Roller, that is brilliant.

I agree. I guess I live in a bubble and would never guess folks would stiff a hard working craftsman after he has worked his tail off fixing your crap.

Are you serious or are you making a hidden point?

I am naively serious. I grew up poor. I still remember the anger and hurt when someone would stiff me on my weekly paper route collection (it was $1.62/week and yes I remember the amount) when I was 10. I was fortunate enough with my Tulane education and life experience to make a nice living until I retired last year. Barring disaster I am set for life.

I pay anyone doing work around my house immediately, or at least the same day I receive an invoice. My daughter as a classical violin soloist is an independent contractor and it grates me to no end when big entities, usually major orchestras, take 2-3 months to pay her even though the contract says immediate payment. They basically raise their middle finger because they know they have all the leverage—the performance is already done and you have to then beg to get paid. You wouldn’t believe how many times invoices “get lost.”

So yes, I am serious. If you expect someone to do quality work for you, you should pay them immediately or else don’t enter into an agreement. Big entities can float expenses for months. The little guy has to pay his bills every month so if he has to chase you to get paid for services already rendered you are seriously impacting his/her life. I admire the creative genius of Roller’s brick mason example while decrying the need.

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

What happens to the plummeting brick when it reaches bottom? Shatters? Would it not dent up the fireplace?

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

What happens to the plummeting brick when it reaches bottom? Shatters? Would it not dent up the fireplace?

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

What happens to the plummeting brick when it reaches bottom? Shatters? Would it not dent up the fireplace?

I would imagine it sits on top of the flue until removed

Forgot about the flue (Southern boy!)...does that not invalidate this whole scheme?

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

What happens to the plummeting brick when it reaches bottom? Shatters? Would it not dent up the fireplace?

Maybe the guy was a genius and thought of a way to fix that like setting a cardboard box in the fireplace before he climbed up and dropped the brick.

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

What happens to the plummeting brick when it reaches bottom? Shatters? Would it not dent up the fireplace?

Maybe the guy was a genius and thought of a way to fix that like setting a cardboard box in the fireplace before he climbed up and dropped the brick.

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

What happens to the plummeting brick when it reaches bottom? Shatters? Would it not dent up the fireplace?

Maybe the guy was a genius and thought of a way to fix that like setting a cardboard box in the fireplace before he climbed up and dropped the brick.

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

What happens to the plummeting brick when it reaches bottom? Shatters? Would it not dent up the fireplace?

Maybe the guy was a genius and thought of a way to fix that like setting a cardboard box in the fireplace before he climbed up and dropped the brick.

Tie the brick to a rope and pull it back up.

Actually, that is basically what Dutch did. He actually had a brick he kept for that purpose, which he had drilled a hole through and ran a piece of clothesline-sized rope through the hole, knotted on both sides to afix it in place. He also had some electrical tape wrapped tightly around the brick to keep it from breaking.

I sort of thought that might be a common tool for bricklayers who build a lot of chimneys, but I haven't come across anyone else who was aware of the practice.

And if there's a flue for the smoke to go up, what's the point of the glass anyway? #chimneygate

I think now we're getting terminology mixed. I guess I was talking about the damper at the top of the fireplace that opens to the chimney opening itself. Apparently the inside of the chimney is also called the flue

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

So this guy built a structurally unsound, inherently dangerous to repair carbon monoxide trap that was an apparently non-functioning chimney and he wondered why he did not get paid?

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

So this guy built a structurally unsound, inherently dangerous to repair carbon monoxide trap that was an apparently non-functioning chimney and he wondered why he did not get paid?

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

Roller, that is brilliant.

I agree. I guess I live in a bubble and would never guess folks would stiff a hard working craftsman after he has worked his tail off fixing your crap.

Are you serious or are you making a hidden point?

I am naively serious. I grew up poor. I still remember the anger and hurt when someone would stiff me on my weekly paper route collection (it was $1.62/week and yes I remember the amount) when I was 10. I was fortunate enough with my Tulane education and life experience to make a nice living until I retired last year. Barring disaster I am set for life.

I pay anyone doing work around my house immediately, or at least the same day I receive an invoice. My daughter as a classical violin soloist is an independent contractor and it grates me to no end when big entities, usually major orchestras, take 2-3 months to pay her even though the contract says immediate payment. They basically raise their middle finger because they know they have all the leverage—the performance is already done and you have to then beg to get paid. You wouldn’t believe how many times invoices “get lost.”

So yes, I am serious. If you expect someone to do quality work for you, you should pay them immediately or else don’t enter into an agreement. Big entities can float expenses for months. The little guy has to pay his bills every month so if he has to chase you to get paid for services already rendered you are seriously impacting his/her life. I admire the creative genius of Roller’s brick mason example while decrying the need.

Oh, I totally agree with what you are saying, pay your bills for work done, correctly (I have friends who had a miserable experience with a guy building their deck-not even close to code, so I wouldn't pay him). I was more talking about the fact that you "would never guess folks would stiff a hard working craftsman after he has worked his tail off fixing your crap"; I was just surprised that it was a foreign concept to you.

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

Roller, that is brilliant.

I agree. I guess I live in a bubble and would never guess folks would stiff a hard working craftsman after he has worked his tail off fixing your crap.

Are you serious or are you making a hidden point?

I am naively serious. I grew up poor. I still remember the anger and hurt when someone would stiff me on my weekly paper route collection (it was $1.62/week and yes I remember the amount) when I was 10. I was fortunate enough with my Tulane education and life experience to make a nice living until I retired last year. Barring disaster I am set for life.

I pay anyone doing work around my house immediately, or at least the same day I receive an invoice. My daughter as a classical violin soloist is an independent contractor and it grates me to no end when big entities, usually major orchestras, take 2-3 months to pay her even though the contract says immediate payment. They basically raise their middle finger because they know they have all the leverage—the performance is already done and you have to then beg to get paid. You wouldn’t believe how many times invoices “get lost.”

So yes, I am serious. If you expect someone to do quality work for you, you should pay them immediately or else don’t enter into an agreement. Big entities can float expenses for months. The little guy has to pay his bills every month so if he has to chase you to get paid for services already rendered you are seriously impacting his/her life. I admire the creative genius of Roller’s brick mason example while decrying the need.

Oh, I totally agree with what you are saying, pay your bills for work done, correctly (I have friends who had a miserable experience with a guy building their deck-not even close to code, so I wouldn't pay him). I was more talking about the fact that you "would never guess folks would stiff a hard working craftsman after he has worked his tail off fixing your crap", I mean out own President does this, so I was just surprised that it was a foreign concept to you.

No, it’s not a foreign concept. It’s just not something I would do given a respectable quid pro quo—I refer to my daughter’s experience chasing down some pretty major orchestras after performing well for them with sold out audiences and great reviews.

Sometimes it comes down to shaming a person. I had a hilarious experience several years back when I was a nuclear services account manager for GE Nuclear Energy. We performed what was called a Power Uprate for PPL in Allentown, PA which essentially allowed them to operate their nuclear power plants at multiple megawatts higher after proving to the NRC that there was sufficient safety margin with some minor plant modifications. We did all the work and they enjoyed the additional megawatts for many months yet they still were dragging their feet on making the substantial payment owed, which BTW they recouped in about three months of additional megawatt output. So, finally my boss came to a meeting with all the PPL management and started the meeting with three words: “PAY UP DEADBEATS!” We had the payment that day.

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

What happens to the plummeting brick when it reaches bottom? Shatters? Would it not dent up the fireplace?

Maybe the guy was a genius and thought of a way to fix that like setting a cardboard box in the fireplace before he climbed up and dropped the brick.

Hmmm...does he set up this genius cardboard box on top of the (still hot?) embers/logs? Or clean all that up first I guess? Seems like a lot of work for a genius. What happens if the dropped brick doesn't drop straight down and instead starts bouncing off the inside walls? Does the genius cardboard box extend all the way up the chimney?

I once had a construction inspector who worked for me, but who did masonry work on the side. Whenever he built a chimney, he secretly mortared in a pane of glass across the chimney about halfway up, because he said that although his agreements were that payment was due when the job was complete, more than half the time people tried to delay payment, sometimes as long as several months. When they paid, he would drop a brick down the chimney to break the glass and allow the smoke to go out. Otherwise, they would call him to complain about smoke backing up into the house, to which he would reply that he could fix it quickly, once they paid him.

What happens to the plummeting brick when it reaches bottom? Shatters? Would it not dent up the fireplace?

Maybe the guy was a genius and thought of a way to fix that like setting a cardboard box in the fireplace before he climbed up and dropped the brick.

Hmmm...does he set up this genius cardboard box on top of the (still hot?) embers/logs? Or clean all that up first I guess? Seems like a lot of work for a genius. What happens if the dropped brick doesn't drop straight down and instead starts bouncing off the inside walls? Does the genius cardboard box extend all the way up the chimney?